1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method and apparatus for segmenting work in a contact center. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and apparatus for segmenting work in a contact center using skill-based routing and defining skills using a complex data structure.
2. Description of Related Art
Contact centers provide customers with access to contact-handling service agents who provide a variety of services. Contact centers distribute calls, e-mails, messages, multimedia and other types of communications (collectively, “contacts”) to available agents in accordance with various predetermined criteria. In existing contact centers, the criteria for handling contacts are often programmable by contact center managers via a capability known as segmenting. Modern contact centers employ “skill-based routing” methodologies to divide received customer contacts into segments known as “skills.” Agents are assigned responsibilities to provide service for one or more of these skills. Typically, when the contact center detects that an agent has become available to handle a contact, the contact center identifies the contact-handling skills of the agent, and delivers to the agent, the contact or “work” that matches the agent's highest-priority skill. Skills-based routing allows each agent to be placed into a number of different service categories based on the skill types supported by that agent. Present contact centers define a skill as a single data field representing a segment of work. Agents are assigned to service particular skills.
When configuring existing contact centers, contact center managers typically must define skills within their system to reflect the desired segmentation, as well as create an automated logic process that determines what skill to place a contact into based on its individual attribute values. This configuration process is extremely time-consuming, because all possible skill values and permutations thereof must be stored in a single data field. Developing the definitions of skills, as well as the automated processes by which work assignment systems use to segment the work, requires a substantial amount of development effort, typically handled within the administrative applications. To assist contact center managers in the configuration process, automated tools exist, which can automatically generate every possible permutation of multiple values as a set that can act as a single skill. This is highly problematic, however, because the sheer number of possible permutations makes the solution difficult to use, and due to the inherent relationships between values, many permutations simply do not make sense, or should not be allowed because they break business rules. In some instances, complex segmentation requirements generate millions of possible permutations for skills. The fastest growing market segment of contact centers are the more complex, highly segmented multimedia contact centers. Administration and configuration of these contact centers is becoming more and more complex and time-consuming. This level of complexity is caused because skills are presently saved as a single, flat data field or singe set of values.
Currently, there are no known systems and methods for effectively and efficiently segmenting contacts by defining skills using a complex data structure, rather than a single flat data field or single set of values. Thus, there is a need for systems and methods for effectively and efficiently segmenting contacts by defining skills using a complex data structure.